Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1887-10-29

stick across my back with an. impatient
edmonton to get to work, you lazy
rogue. But l. was too feeble to retaliate
or remonstrate. Was there no charity In.
the world? Ipassed other beggars in the
streets who looked fat and comfortable.
People gave them money, but they would
give me none. The time wore on, and my
craving for food became irresistible.
1passeda shop which had Array outside
of baked potatoes. The owner had his
back to me. l stole one. Yes, 1 stole
one. No one saw me He did not see me
as I skunk past him with guilty face, and
swiftly sped round the nearest corner to
eat the stolen norsel.
What is the use Of a single baked po-
tatos Presently I returned to the same
place with the intention of taking another.
But they were all gone. Invent on, look
ing for another provision shop. I came to
. place where hot, smoking sausages were
bubbling in a pan over a charcoal fire.
The shop stood at q corner. There was
only a girl minding it. I deliberately
walked in, took a sausage from the pan,
hot as 1t was, and stepped out again be-
fore her astonfshment even prompted her
to cry out.
The time seemed intolerably long. AL
these scenes passed before me, not as the
quick and steady flight of the rapidly fall
ing moments. but as. Il the agony and the
shame were deliberately heightened out.
Then came a third time when l stole,
maddened by the dream of hunger. This
time I was detected, pursued and appre-
hended. The misery and shame of the
hour when I stood before the magistrate,
in that horrible vision of a possible future,
l cannot even yet forget. With this a
constant sense Of unsatisfed and craving
hunger; q feeling as il hunger was the
greatest evil in the whole world; a long
ing to get rid of it. Last scene Of all, I
was lying dead, starved to death with
hunger and cold, in a miserable, bare and
naked garnet. Q
By what black art did the old man de-
lude my senses: 1t was a lie and he
knewit. l should have got some honest
work, If only to wheel bricks or carry
loads.
''There is your future, young man
there came up from the distance the voice
of the tempter-"a gloomy prospect, II
miserable life, a wretched ending. Now
look at the other side"
The scene changed. l saw myself, but
in another guise. My hunger had van
tshed; I felt 1t no more.
This time I was happy, light hearted
and cheerful. l remembered scenes of
misery through which I had just passed,
and the recollection added more sweetness
to my present enjoyment. 1t seemed as
if I should never be hungry any more,
and never feel the want of food. l was
like n Greek god in my exemption from
the common weakness of humanity. l
was rich, too, and knew that had the
command, somehow. of all that q
could buy.
was sitting i'll Il garden, and around
me were troops Of girls. | heard the
rustic OF their dresses, caught the laugh
ter from their lips, watched the luster of
their eyes, saw tho moonlight dance
among their waving locks, rs they ran
and played among the trees and flowers.
One of them sa. by me and sang to S
guitar
Life is mad. for love. All! why
Should its sweetness e'er be married:
List! the echoes will not die.
Still the sweet word love to glarl
Suught but love. On happy youth,
Free from need OF bascr thought,
Stay with lis, and learn this truth,
Set with song, with music wrought.
Thine is love. an endless feast;
Deauty-sweeter far than wine;
Joy, from lower cares released
Never star rose bright as thine.
l knew, somehow or other, that this
was allegorical, and, as if I expressed my
thought, the SCENE changed, and ! wa in
real life.
Chambers in London, such as | had read
of, overlooking St. James park. sat il
them in the midst Of books md pictures.
l had no business to call me away from
my indolent ease; I had no anxiety about
the future. 1 got up and strollcd about
the streets, looking at the shops. If
fancied Il thing l bought it. went to
picture galleries and saw the latest works
Of art; l went to the theater and saw the
performance from Il comfortable box:
vent riding in the park.
Then my fancy returned to my frs,
love. and l saw myself walking in q
country lane with Juliet. She was
delightful in her frank and innocent love
for me. We rambled along under the
hedges while I gathered flowers with her.
and talked of the happy, happy days when
We should be one, soon now to arrive, and
VI liz oNSStS AoNIAA6 AiAS la SAlolllL w
ours far away from the troubles of the
world.
Dreams, idle dreams; but sweet t o me.
after the agony of the last, MS a draugh,
of water to a parched traveller on Sahara
The pictures changed az fast as my
fancy wandered from one thing to an
other. In all l was the samc-free iron
the downward aud earthly pressure OF
want and hunger, relieved from anxiety
with plenty Of money, and full of i'll
sweet and innocent fancies.
Lies again. But by what power coult
| this necromancer so cheat and gull IN,
brain?
VERY different scenes these, my deal
young friend; he said. in a winning
voice, ''are they not? Now he went Oh
and his voice was quite close to ne, ''yor
have had your five minutes"
The cloud passed from my eyes. J wa:
sitting again in the octagonal room, tn
old man before me, watch in hand, as /
he was counting the secodds.
Give minutes and a quarter" Ii
growled. Now choose"
Il have chosen / replied. II acccp
your offer"
The influence Of the things 1 had seel
was loo sFOnS upon ms. i cOUld nelthe
reason nor reflect.
II accept your Offer"
why, that's brave he said, with
| gigantic sigh of relief. That's what
expected Of you. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
de-neige!"
He clapped his hands.
Instantly the horrible old negro ap
peared behind his masters chair, as il b.
| had snrnnp from the Ornrnd holiev,
he had. He looked more like q devil thar